Latest KFF Health News Stories
Opinion writers weigh in on these pandemic issues and others.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
As Costs Concerns Mount, Gov. Newsom Pressed To Expand Medi-Cal To Seniors In Country Illegally
An estimated 1.5 million undocumented Californians remain uninsured, and advocates worry that the group will be hit hard by financial setbacks during the pandemic. In other health care costs news: free clinics try to fill gaps and what to do if insurers bill you for testing.
Swine Flu Offered Health System A Pandemic Dry Run, But No One Made Changes To Better Prepare
The swine flu scare didn’t materialize into a pandemic for the United States, but it exposed vulnerabilities in the health system. However, an analysis from The Wall Street Journal found that everyone in the chain put their self-interest ahead of learning from those lessons. Other preparedness news focuses on ventilators, a push for a supply chain “czar,” masks and more.
Should Masks Be Required On Airplanes? Democrats Pushing For Administration To Issue An Order
It’s well known that airplanes’ ventilation systems within an enclosed space is a perfect storm for spreading germs. But the FAA remains insistent that it doesn’t exist to monitor public health.
Partisan War Over Shutdowns Reflected In Congress As Senate Is Called Back And House Stays Home
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is moving ahead with his plan to call the Senate back despite the fact that many of the members are in high-risk demographics. The House scuttled its plans to return. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has named the rest of the members of the coronavirus oversight committee.
Editorial pages focus on these pandemic issues and others.
The plans of governments and tech companies to use mobile devices to aid coronavirus tracking efforts depend on users always keeping Bluetooth on. But security and privacy researchers warn that Bluetooth can be vulnerable to hacking and is less accurate than other location services like GPS. Also in health IT news is the latest bumpiness on the road of electronic health records and the continued growth of telemedicine during the pandemic.
World Outbreak: Economies Stagger Around The Globe; Brazil’s Numbers Start To Worry Neighbors
News is reported on how coronavirus is impacting nations in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia.
Media outlets report on news from New York, California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Georgia, Louisiana, Nevada and New Mexico.
The cards would prove people have antibodies to the disease, and while the measure might increase socio-economic and racial disparities, health experts argue they could be a short-term solution for reopening the economy and giving people a respite from social distancing. Public health news is on the health risks of living near heavily polluted air, hard-hit rural bus lines, the importance of ethnic and racial data and keeping wellness checks for children, as well.
Trying to balance the financial and health risks of coronavirus with the need to provide essential services is becoming the latest battleground for labor unions and business groups. While it might be easy in some states for health care workers to file claims, it’s not always the same case for other workers finding it hard to prove they got sick on the job. Other reports on health care workers include a behind-the-scene look at a New York City infection unit and RVs becoming temporary homes for physicians on the front lines.
New Testing Suggests There’s A Wide-Spread Outbreak Throughout Federal Prison System
New figures provided by the Bureau of Prisons show that out of 2,700 tests conducted systemwide, nearly 2,000 came back positive.
Reports of food insecurity are increasing across the nation as more people are laid off, but now it’s also showing up in areas that were once economically secure. About 1,500 cars were turned away one day last week in Egg Harbor, N.J. when the food bank ran out of supplies. Other food scarcity news is reported on SNAP recipients and the volunteer groups delivering services, as well.
Business shutdowns created by the coronavirus outbreak continue to ravage the labor market, with another 3.84 million Americans filing for jobless benefits last week. Those numbers still likely under count the number of people out of work, as many state unemployment systems experience ongoing issues with applications. News outlets report on other financial indicators that point toward a U.S. recession.
Novel Coronavirus Is Mutating More Slowly Than Some Of Its Peers, So What Does That Really Mean?
The New York Times offers an in-depth look at the way this virus has mutated throughout the pandemic, and looks ahead to what that can mean for vaccines and other research. In other science news: airborne studies, gender disparities, rare symptoms found in children and more.
Trump’s ‘Operation Warp Speed’ Aims To Accelerate Vaccine Development Against Advisers’ Warnings
Top health experts have repeatedly warned that speeding up the long vaccine development process can lead to more trouble in the long-run. It is not clear how much more money the Trump administration is willing to put behind the new operation.
Dozens Of Bodies Found In Unrefrigerated Rental Trucks Outside Overwhelmed NYC Funeral Home
Following a 911 tip, investigators found that a New York City funeral home had rented four trucks to hold about 50 corpses. Funeral directors across the city have pleaded for help as they run out of space.
‘Devastating Outcome’: Database Shows Nursing Homes With Deadly Outbreaks Doubled In Past Week
More states are releasing the names of nursing homes where testing was inadequate and workers lacked preventive equipment, according to The Washington Post. More than 1 in 6 facilities report coronavirus cases. Nursing home news is also reported from Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Georgia, New Jersey and California.
Sweden, which has avoided the extreme shut-down measures of most other nations, has become a fascination for many conservatives who see it as proving their arguments correct that U.S. lockdowns are not needed. But there are factors in play that allowed Sweden to try this approach, where it would be unlikely to have similar results in the U.S.
